Apple wins symbolic $250 in Masimo Watch patent lawsuit

A federal jury ruled Friday that Masimo’s smartwatches infringed Apple Watch patents, but awarded Apple only $250 in damages, the legal minimum amount Apple could seek while it sued. a jury trial rather than in court for Masimo’s alleged violations.

Masimo’s Discontinued W1 Freedom Smartwatch

According to Bloomberg LawJurors found that the original design of Masimo’s W1 Freedom and Health module, as well as its charger, deliberately infringed Apple design patents. However, Masimo said the decision only applied to an abandoned module and charger. The distinction undermines Apple’s irreparable harm claim. So even though the company was awarded damages, the ruling essentially removed Apple’s ability to block Masimo’s current products.

“Apple primarily sought an injunction against Masimo’s current products, and the jury’s verdict is a victory for Masimo on this issue,” a Masimo spokesperson said in a statement.

The lawsuit came about due to Apple’s countersuit in its ongoing legal battle with Masimo, which previously won an import ban on certain Apple Watch models over pulse oximetry patents. The breach forced Apple to disable blood oxygen monitoring features on Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 models sold in the United States. This feature is also missing from the US version of the Apple Watch Series 10. Apple Watches remain fully functional outside the country.

During the trial, Apple lawyer John Desmarais argued that monetary compensation was not the company’s goal, telling jurors: “We’re not in this for the money. We want them to stop copying our design. »

An Apple spokesperson defended the company’s position, saying: “Apple teams worked for years to develop the Apple Watch,” while “Masimo took shortcuts by releasing a device that copies the Apple Watch and infringes on our intellectual property.”